Thomas evans



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. EVANS. PORTABLE ELEVATOR.

N0. 363,.6l6. Patented May 24, 1887.

VILJW Ai/A rromvm.

u. PETERS. Pl'fibLilhographer. Washinglun. u. c.

(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T. EVANS.

PORTABLE ELEVATOR.

No. 363,616. Patented May 24, 1887.

Fig-A lllllllll u lllll l .4

a i {H m J Ij k M M f 0 WITNESSES:

L! ATTORNEYS UNITED "STATES PATENT -OFFICE,

THOMAS EVANS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO MORRIS FEIGEL,OF SAME PLACE.

Po RTABLE ELEVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,616. dated May 24,1887.

Application'filed March 10, 1887. Serial No. 330,413. (No model.)

uted; and said invention has for its object toprovide a novel structurewhich can be moved not only in a right line but can be easily turned inany direction, whereby the work is greatly facilitated.

The invention consists, essentially, in the combination of deviceshereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to theaceompanying drawings, in which-.

Figure 1 represents an elevation of an elevator embodying my invention.Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a portion of the same in the plane 0001:, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section in the plane y y, Fig. 2. Fig. 4is a perspective drawn to a smaller scale than the preceding figures.

Similarlettcrs indicate corresponding parts.

In the drawings, the letters A A designate the uprights or corner-postsof a frame, which are joined at top and bottom by traversers B B to forma rigid structure. \Vithin said uprights is placed a platform, 0, whichis guided by the same, and can be moved vertically by suitable means. Inthe example illustrated in the drawings I have provided for this purposea pair of rotary drums, D D, which are rigidly mounted upon a'commonshaft, E, having hearings in suitable boxes 40 arranged on the frame.These drums are 10- cated near the bottom of the frame and 011 oppositesides of the same. The ropes or chains F F, attached to the drums,extend upwardly and connect with ropes or chainsff, which extend overpulleys G G, Figs. 1 and 2, to

conduct said ropes or chains f f nearto the uprights A, whence theyextend downward and are attached by suitable links or hooks, as g g, tothe four corners of the platform. To turn the drums D D for elevatingthe platform, I connect the drum-shaft E by means of gears, such as H,I, J, K, and L, to a crankshaft, M, having connected thereto a crank, M,said shaft having a bearing in abox arranged on a standard, H, whichlatter is attached at 5 5 top and bottom to the frame. The gears H I,&c., are so compounded that one man, by turning the handle, can easilylift a large load.

The platform is caused to descend by its own weight, combined with thatof the load, and to regulate the velocity with which it descends; and,also, to check and hold it in any intermediate position, I provide aband-brake having an operating'lever, H". The frictiondrum I of saidhrake'is mounted on the shafts J of the gears J and K, and the handy isconnected to thepivoted operating'lever Hin such a manner that when saidlever is depressed the brake is applied tothefrictiondrum. Catches h hare provided for the lever H", one catch, 11, 7 holding the same in itsupper or releasing po; sition, and the lower catch, 71, holding thesamewhen the brake is applied to the frictiondrum 1. By depressing thelever II, more or less, the velocity with which the platform 75 descendscan be regulated or entirely checked.

In order that the crank-shaft handle M shall not be revolved as theplatform descends. which would cause a considerable vibration of theframe, I make the crankshaft M, Figs. 1, 8o 2, and 3, movable lengthwisein its box, so' that the gear L thereon can be drawn out of engagementwith the gear K on the shaft J when desired. A locking-bar, N, Figs. 1,2, and 3, pivoted at n to the standard H, and projecting between thegear L and the standard H, serves to prevent the shaft from beinginadvertently moved. This lockingbar can be swung clear of the shaftwhen it is desired to move the latter. 0

The frame A is carried upon four wheels, a a, so that it can be readilymoved in a right line; but in many instances it is desirable to turn theelevator, and for this purpose I pro vide a fifth-wheel or caster, O,the shank 0 of which is guided in a box arranged on one of the lowertraversers, B, of the frame. By depressing this caster 0 one side of theframe is raised to lift two of the wheels, a, out of contact with thefloor, and the elevator thus rests K on the remaining two wheels, a, andthe caster 0, so that it can be readily turned about in any direction.The caster O can be raised or lowered by any suitable system of1evers-snch, for instance, as a toggle lever, P, Fig. 1, which ispivoted at p to the frame and secured at 1) to the shank oof the caster,the links of said lever P being connected by a link, It, to a bell-cranklever, S, pivoted at s to a hanger arranged in the frame. By raising thelever S the caster is drawn out of contact with the floor, and bydepressing the same the caster 1s lowered to raise one side of theelevator. Catches t i, secured to the frame, lock the lever S in eitherposition. It will be observed that the various levers and the handle Mare so arranged that one man can conveniently opcrate all of them, asmay be desired. By the use of this caster O, in connection with thewheels a a, the structure is steadied on four wheels while the loads arebeing handled, and therefore stands perfectly rigid, but can be readilythrown on only three wheels when desired.

I am aware that portable elevators have heretofore been mounted onwheels, and that vertically-movable casters are not new; but I am notaware that an elevator mounted on wheels has ever been provided with avertically-movable caster between a pair of the supporting-wheels at oneside of the elevatorframe for facility in turning the elevator.

NVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A portable elevator-frame mounted on pairs of supporting-wheels, incombination with a caster arranged between a pair of saidsupportingwheels at one side of the elevator frame and movablevertically on the frame to lift the pair of supportingwheels at one sidefrom the surface traversed to place the load on the caster for turningthe elevator at will, substantially as described.

2. A portable elevator-frame mounted on pairs of supporting wheels, incombination with a caster having a shank movable vertically in a boxingat one side of the frame between a pair of the supportingwheels at suchside of the frame to lift the said pair of wheels from the surfacetraversed and place the load on the caster for turning the elevator atwill, the toggle-lever pivoted to the castershank and to theelevator-frame, and a handlever connected with the toggle-lever,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a portable elevator-frame, of thesupporting-wheels arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the frame and acaster having a shank movable vertically in a boxing on the framebetween a pair of supportingwheels at one side of the frame to lift saidwheels from the surface traversed and throw the load on the caster forturning the elevatorframe at will, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a portable elevator-frame, of thesupporting-wheels arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the frame, acaster having a shank'movable vertically in a bearing located between apair of the wheels at one side of the frame, the toggle-lever P, pivotedto the frame and to the upper end of the easter-shank, the link R,connected with the toggle-lever, and a hand bell-crank lever pivoted onthe frame and having its Short arm attached to the said link for liftingthe wheels at one side of the frame from the surface traversed toturn-the elevator at will, substantially as described.

5. The combination,with an elevator-frame, of supporting-wheels arrangedin pairs at opposite sides of the frame, a caster having a shank movablevertically in a bearing located between a pair of the wheels at one sideofthe frame, the toggle-lever pivoted to said castershank and to theframe, the upper and lower catches, it, on the frame, and the bell-cranklever connected with the togglelever and adapted to engage said catches,substantially as described.

6. The combination, with a frame mounted on wheels, of a caster having ashank movable in vertical hearings on the frame, the toggle-lever P,connected with said shank, the lever S, and the catches t t,substantially as shown and described.

7. The combination, in a portable elevator, of the main frame, themovable platform 0, the winding-drums D D, thehoisting ropes or chains FF, a crank-shaft, M, movable lengthwise in its bearings and having atits inner end the gear L, geared with the winding drums, and a movablelocking-bar, N, an ranged between a part of the main frame and the gearat the inner end of the lengthwise movable shalt, substantially asdescribed.

8. The combination, in a portable elevator, of the main frame, themovable platform 0, the winding-drums D D,thc hoisting ropes or chains FF, a crank-shaft, M, movablelengthwise in its bearing and provided atits inner end with the gear L, geared with the windingdrums, and thelocking-bar N, pivoted to part of the elevator-frame to swing between apart of the elevator-frame and the gear at the inner end ofthelengthwise-movable shaft, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS EVANS. [L s] Witnesses:

A. FABER DU FAUR, J12, E. F. KAs'rnNnUBnn.

